Three months after suspension, Dana Air resumes flight operations

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Dana Air on Monday resumed flight operations after a successful operational audit carried out by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, on it.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Dana Air’s aircraft with registration number 5N-JOY departed the domestic terminal two of the Murtala Muhammed Airport by 2:30 p.m.

Addressing aviation correspondents, Yvan Drewinsky, the Chief Operating Officer of the airline, commended the NCAA under its Director-General, Fola Akinkuotu, for the successful completion of the technical audit.

Mr. Drewinsky assured the NCAA management that Dana would comply with all the standard regulations.

“I am happy that Capt. Akinkuotu wrote us to say we can recommence flight operations after the audit had been successfully completed by NCAA inspectors and its foreign partners,’’ he said.

He said that the airline had organised series of training for its personnel to keep them up-to-date in the discharge of their duties.

“Some pilots are still in South Africa undergoing training in simulator, since anybody who has not flown for a while needs refresher training before he or she can come back to the cockpit of the aircraft,’’ he said.

Mr. Drewinsky said that Dana had signed a contract for the supply of a Boeing 737-500 series which would arrive before the end of the month.

“The second one will arrive mid-February; this is part of effort to increase our fleet,’’ he said.

He expressed happiness that the airline was back and assured passengers of safety while on board its aircraft.

The NCAA, in October 2013, suspended the airline to allow it carry out what it called an “operational audit”.

In December 2013, the aviation regulatory body announced that it had completed the audit and would carry out the same exercise on other airlines.

Dana has been enmeshed in one controversy or the other since a June 3, 2012 crash of its plane in Lagos that led to the death of over 150 people.

The airline was shut by Nigerian aviation authorities for several months after the crash, but re-opened amidst protests from some of the families of victims. It was again controversially shut in October 2013.

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